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Former Virginia lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax, 47, and his wife, Cerina Fairfax, DDS, 49, were found dead in their Annandale, Virginia, home on April 16. Authorities have confirmed the deaths as a murder-suicide.

According to police, the former public official fatally shot his wife, a successful dentist, before turning the gun on himself during the early morning hours of Thursday. The former governor shot his wife in the basement before going upstairs to the bedroom to kill himself. The estranged couple’s two teenage children were inside the home at the time, and one of them placed the 911 call that alerted authorities to the tragedy.

Law enforcement officials say the incident appears to have stemmed from a Associated Press. The comments were part of an order telling Justin to move out by the end of April. He also lost primary custody of their teenage children. 

Cerina also testified amid their divorce proceedings that Justin was drinking daily, and his living space was full of empty wine bottles and piles of laundry. In 2022, she said he purchased a handgun using funds meant for their kid’s horseback riding lessons. 

The judge overseeing the case also indicated that the former lieutenant governor was struggling mentally and emotionally. “Isolation, drinking, and a lack of participation in family life are manifestations of what seems to be a sense of fatalism and hopelessness,” the judge wrote at the time. 

The devastating incident marks a tragic end to what was once a promising political trajectory. Justin, who served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022, had been considered a rising star within the Democratic Party. His career, however, was significantly impacted by sexual assault allegations that surfaced in 2019, although he consistently denied them. Fairfax said the encounters, which took place prior to his marriage, were consensual and refused to resign. He eventually ran for governor in 2021 but was defeated. 

In addition to Cerina’s statements in court documents, there were signs that Justin was spiraling among those in his friend group and fellow members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. According to Sophia A. Nelson, a Virginia author and journalist, he wasn’t able to move past the 2019 sexual assault accusations. She told the AP that she urged him to seek help. 

“I was concerned, as were other close friends, fraternity brothers, family members,” Nelson said. “There were talks of suicidal thoughts.”

Financial challenges may have also kept the former governor from moving out of the marital home. He struggled to regain his professional footing after the allegations and Cerina said he eventually stopped financially contributing to the needs of the household.  

She had reportedly installed security cameras throughout the home during the couple’s separation. Officials say those cameras may provide additional clarity as the investigation continues. 

Advocates emphasize that domestic violence can escalate quickly, particularly during periods of separation or divorce, which are known to be high-risk times.

If you’re experiencing domestic violence, reach out to someone at the National Domestic Violence Hotline. There is also support out there if you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts. 988 Lifeline has several resources and people you can talk to.

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